Device for placing and seam folding the bottoms of supply valves on aerosol containers

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for placing valves on aerosol containers, which valves are provided with bottoms and tube lengths, and for directly seam folding the bottoms onto the container inlets. The apparatus comprises cylindrical chambers coaxially arranged with one another, in which three separate pistons are movable as shiftable to one another by compressed air, downwardly projecting members being fast with said pistons and providing first for withdrawing and retaining a valve by air suction from a seating wherein the valve is arranged and then providing for directly seam folding the valve on the container inlet, on which said valve has been placed.

DEVICE FOR PLACING AND SEAM FOLDING THE BOTTOMS OF SUPPLY VALVES ONAEROSOL CONTAINERS Nov. 19, 1974 Primary Examiner-Thomas H. EagerAttorney, Agent, or Firm-Steinberg & Blake [75] Inventor: GiancarloGiuffredi, Milan, Italy [73] Assignee: S22: 'liegryologie SpecialiS.p.A., ABSTRACT 2 Filed; Aug 9 1973 Apparatus for placing valves onaerosol containers, which valves are provided with bottoms and tube PPbio-1386394 lengths, and for directly seam folding the bottoms onto thecontainer inlets. The apparatus comprises cy- [30] Foreign Application pi i Data lindrical chambers coaxially arranged with one an- Se t 30 197229915/72 other, in which three separate pistons are movable as yshiftable to one another by compressed air, down- 52] U S C! v 29/208 Bwardly projecting members being fast with said pistons [51] ln.t.Cl"3.23 19/04 and providing first for withdrawing and retaining a l 58Fie'ld R D valve by air suction from a seating wherein the valve is i29/2l1 arranged and then providing for directly seam folding the valveon the container inlet, on which said valve [56] References Cited hasbeen placed UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 Claims 6 Drawing Figures 3,604,0959/l97l Giuffredi 29/208 B v PAH-1mm?! 1 9 1974 r sum aur a DEVICE FORPLACING ANI) SEAM FOLDING THE BOTTOMS OF SUPPLY VALVES ON AEROSOLCONTAINERS This invention relates to an apparatus for placing and seamfolding on aerosol containers the bottoms of dis pensing valves havingtube lengths applied thereto.

It is well known that an aerosol container carries a dispensing valvewhich, in turn, is mounted on the end of a tube length, the latter beinginserted in the container and effective to supply the valve with theliquid withdrawn from the container adjacent the bottom portion thereof.

Apparatus are available for automatically placing dispensing valvesintegral with a metal bottom on aerosol container inlets, introducinginto the containers tube lengths applied to the valves. An apparatus ofthis type, for withdrawing and placing automatically valves havingdifferent size bottoms on aerosol container inlets, without any damageeither to the bottoms or to the valves, is disclosed in US. Pat.specification No. 3,604,095 assigned to the same assignee as for thepresent application.

The apparatus, as shown in said US. Pat. specification No. 3,604,095 andother conventional apparatus for placing valves along with theassociated bottoms onto the container inlets, and introducing the tubelengths fast with the valves into the containers, however suffer fromthe disadvantage of requiringthe subsequent use of a seam foldingmachine, that is a machine for steadily sealingly securing the bottom ofeach valve on the container inlet, as placed thereon. Thus, differentapparatus and machines have to be available, and it is also required tohave highly accurate conveying and positioning means withdrawing thecontainers from the valve applying apparatus, and conveying andpositioning the containers below the machines for seam folding the valvebottoms thereon. As it will be readily appreciated, this containermovement cannot be accomplished at a high speed, since the containersare filled with liquid, while the inlet thereof is still substantiallyopen because of the bottom being merely placed thereon. Moreover, insuch cases this container transport from one machine to another, priorto tight sealing thereof, may show still more serious disadvantagesshould the liquid in the containers be dangerous or highly volatile.

Therefore, it is the main object of the present invention to provide anapparatus for automatically placing the bottoms of dispensing valvesonto an aerosol container inlet and introducing into the containers thetube lengths fast with said valves, the apparatus being suitable fordirectly seam folding the bottom on the container immediately after thebottom is positioned on the inlet of the associated container.

It is another object of the invention to provide an apparatus of theabove character, the apparatus being of a highly compact structure,simple operation and high processing speed.

These and still further objects are achieved by an apparatus comprisinga container supporting platform and a device overlying said platform andmovable relative thereto, the device including a cylinder accommodatinga tubular body, the latter having a cr q s s section area larger thanthat of the valve bottoms, and an elongated hollow body movable withinsaid tubular body, the end of the elongated hollow body facing saidplatform being shaped to provide a housing seat for said bottoms andassociated valves, means for provid ing air suction in said seat,retaining a valve accomodated therein, and movable means operativelyconnected to said tubular body and elongated body, respectively, formoving the same relative to said platform and cylinder, the apparatusbeing characterized by comprising seam folding pliers accommodatedwithin said seat in the hollow body, a shaped portion of the pliersprojecting therefrom, a rigid tube movable within the elongated hollowbody, one end thereof extending to the proximity of said pliers, andmovable means operatively connected to the rigid tube for moving itrelative to the elongated hollow body and outwardly spreading said seamfolding pliers.

In order that the apparatus structure and features be more clearlyunderstood, an embodiment thereof will now be described, as given bymere way of not limiting example, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, in which FIGS. 1 to 6 are partly sectional andschematic views showing the apparatus at different processing steps,FIG. 6 being drawn on an exaggerated scale and showing only the bottomportion of the apparatus.

As shown in the drawing, an apparatus according to the inventioncomprises a hollow cylinder 1 carried through an arm 2 by a rigid frame(not shown).'Two superimposed pistons 3 and 4, respectively, aresealingly accommodated and movable within cylinder 1, an axia bars anslh shhqth of. said t ns-.,

A tubular body 5 downwardly extends from piston 3 and is sealed by agasket 6, this tubular body having a cross-section area equal to orlarger than that of the valve bottom which is to be withdrawn,positioned and seam folded by the apparatus according to the presentinvention.

An elongated hollow body 7 is fast with piston 4 and has a portionthereof downwardlyextending through the bore of piston 3 and projectingbelow the lower end of cylinder 1, and another portion thereof upwardlyextending and carrying at its top a hollow head 8, wherein a piston 9 ishoused and movable.

This piston is also bored and has a tube length 10 fast therewith,upwardly projecting and exiting from said head 8, and a rigid tube 11downwardly projecting and having its lower end located adjacent thelower end of the elongated hollow body '7.

From the drawings it will be also seen that the lower end of saidelongated hollow body 7 is shaped to present a seat accommodatingtherein the seam folding pliers 12, having the end thereof shaped andprojecting beyond the end of the hollow body 7, the shaped end 'ofpliers 12 having a crosssection of an area less than that defined by thecylindrical walls of the valve bottom, as explained in the following. ,7h

A bore 13 opening in the atmosphere is formed in head 8 and other twobores are also formed which, through tubes 14 and 15, can be alternatelyconnected to a supply of pressure fluid, such as compressed air, or tovent. Bores are also formed in cylinder 1 which, through tubes l6, l7,l8 and 19 respectively (FIG. 4), can be separetely also connected to asupply of pressure fluid, for example also compressed air in this case,

, or can be directly communicating with vent.

Finally, it should be noted that the tube length 10 is connected to acontinuously operating suction pump so that, through the cavity of rigidtube 11, air is continuously drawn from the lower end of the tube 11 andhence from the seat provided at the bottom end of the elongated hollowbody 7.

In order to understand the operation of the apparatus, it should be alsonoted that the apparatus is carried by a rigid framework having fasttherewith a bearing platform 20 for the containers 21 and a hollowelement comprising a rigid portion 22 supporting two resilient blades23, the inner surface of which defines a funnelshaped cavity, theseblades being resiliently outwardly movable against the action of smallsprings 24.

While platform 20 is fast with the above mentioned rigid framework, therigid portion 22 as well as blades 23 are carried by said rigidframework, so as to vary the distance or spacing thereof relative toplatform 20. The means by which said blades 23 can be carried to therigid framework, so as to vary the distance or spacing thereof relativeto platform 20, can be differently and readily provided by those skilledin the art, and therefore for brevity will not be herein described indetail.

Assume now to provide for placing and seam folding on the inlet ofcontainers 21 the bottom 25 of dispensing valves 26 to which the tubelengths 27 have been applied, and assume that the supporting arm 2 ofcylinder 1, hollow element 22, 23 and platform 20 are carried by aframework continuously rotating about a vertical axis.

The operation of the apparatus will take place by subsequent stepscarried out at successive stations as the apparatus rotates about saidvertical axis.

At a first station (FIG. I), by means per se known in the art, acontainer 21 is automatically loaded below the lower ends of blades 23of a hollow element, above which the cylinder 1 is positioned.

At this first station, between said hollow element 22, 23 and cylinder1, there extends a guide 28 bearing thereon a plurality of bottoms 25along with the associ- In addition to cam acting on the rigid arm 2,there is also provided a further cam, not shown, acting, as the rotationof the apparatus continues beyond the station shown in FIG. 2, on avalve connected to tubes I7 and 18, operating said valve so as to supplycompressed air 'to tube 17 and connect tube I8 to vent. Thus, piston 3is caused to move downwardly within,cylinder l, as well a tubular body5, the latter straightening the valve tube length 27 suspended from theend of body 7. Downward movement of tubular body 5 continues until itslower end comes to bear on the top inlet for the rigid portion 22 of thehollow body comprising the blades 23 (FIG. 3).

Upon further rotation of the apparatus, said first mentioned cam willoperate valves so as to communicate-tube 16 with the pressure airsupply, thereby connecting tubes l7, l8 and 19 with vent. Thus, adownward movement is caused for piston 4 along with head 8 (in whichpiston 9 maintains its position unaltered) and along with hollow body 7and rigid tube 11, thus penetrating between the blades 23 of thefunnel-like hollow element, outwardly deforming said blades, tointroduce the tube length 27 into the container 21 and bring the bottom25 to bear on the inlet of said container, as shown in FIG. 4. It shouldbe noted that at the stations shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, the shaped endsof the seam folding pliers I2 do not touch or slightly contact the wallsof bottom 25.

Continuing now the rotation of the apparatus about the vertical axis,the usual stationary cams will operate on the valves connected to tubes14 and 15, so as to communicate tube 15 with vent and to connect tube 14r with the pressure air supply. Thus, piston 9 is downated valves 26 andtube lengths 27, means of a known structure and ready provision beingprovided for placing one valve at a time below cylinder ll, meanstherefore not described for the sake of brevity and because not forminga part of the present invention.

Thus, at this first step or station, the attitude of the apparatus is asshown in FIG. 1. Upon continued rotation of the rigid apparatus carryingstructure, arm 2 will contact a stationary cam, not shown, mechanicallylowering cylinder I and all of the elements connected thereto, suchelements not changing the position thereof relative to the otherelements connected to this cylinder, lowering of arm 2 continuing untilthe lower edge of the housing seat in the lower end of the elongatedhollow body 7 contacts the bottom 25 of the valve resting on guide 28(FIG. 2).

Since a continuous air suction is effected through tube length 10 andrigid tube 11, air is also sucked at the valve accommodating seatprovided at the lower end of elongated body 7, so that from the step asshown in FIG. 2 said bottom 25 will adhere against the lower edge ofsaid seat.

At both steps or stations shown inFTG il and2, a?

tubes 15 and 19 are connected to a pressure air supply, and tubes l4,16, I7 and I8 are connected to vent.

Upon continued rotation of platform 20, hollow element 22, 23 and arm 2about the above mentioned vertical axis, this rigid arm 2 will bereleased from the cam having downwardly urged it and the apparatus willmove to a raised position now clear of guide 28.

wardly moved within head 8 and rigid tube II is lowered relative to thehollow body 7. As shown in FIG. 5, the lower end of the rigid tube illis effective on the lower end of said seam folding pliers 12, the latterbeing outwardly biased, pressing on the bottom to deform the same andprovide a strong seam folding on the inlet of container 2].

Immediately after seam folding the bottom onto the container, saidvalves are operated so as to first provide for connecting tube 14 tovent and connecting tube 15 to the pressure air supply, thus causingpiston 9 to move upward within head 8 and the lower end of tube 11 tomove upward relative to the seam folding pliers, which are thus clearedof the bottom previously seam folded to the container (see FIG. 6).

Still continuing the rotation of the apparatus about the vertical axis,by controlling at subsequent times the operation of the valves connectedto tubes 16, 17, I8 and 19, first piston d is upwardly moved withincylinder 1 and then piston 3 is also upwardly moved therein, to moveback to the position shown in FIG. I, whereupon the processing cycle isrestarted as described.

From the foregoing, the structural and operational simplicity of theapparatus shown in the drawings will be evident, and it will beappreciated how easy and ready it is both to apply a valve on acontainer, introducing the valve tube length into the container, and toimmediately directly seam fold the bottom on said container.

What I claim is:

I. An apparatus for placing and seam folding the bottoms of dispensingvalves on aerosol containers, and valves having tube lengths appliedthereto, comprising a container bearing platform and a device overlyingsaid platform and movable relative thereto, the device comprisingacylinder accommodating a hollow tubular baawiretasseefibn are arwmctfislarger thanthat of the valve bottoms, and an elongated hollow bodymovable within said tubular body, the end of the elongated hollow bodyfacing said platform being shaped to form a housing seat for saidbottoms and associated valves, means for providing air suction in saidseat retaining a valve housed therein, and movable means operativelyconnected to said tubular body and said elongated body, respectively, tomove the same relative to said platform and said cylinder, the apparatusbeing characterized by comprising seam folding pliers housed in saidseat in the hollow body, a shaped portion of the pliers projectingtherefrom, a rigid tube movable within the elongated hollow body andhaving one end thereof extending adjacent said pliers, and movable meansoperatively connected to the rigid tube to move the same relative to theelongated hollow body and outwardly spread said .seam folding pliers.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said movable meansoperatively connected to the tubular body andelongated hollow bodycomprise two separate pistons movable within a cylindrical cavity orbore in said cylinder, the movable means operatively connected to saidrigid tube comprise a piston movable within a cylindrical bore in a headfast with the elongated hollow body and external to said cylinder, apressure fluid supply being provided and means for controlling the fluidsupply to chambers formed at one side of said pistons, the chambersformed at the other side of said pistons being communicated with vent.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said valve housing seatin said elongated body communicates with said means for providing airsuction through a hole extending in said rigid tube, a portion of whichprojects beyond said head fast with the elongated hollow body.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein said cylinder is carriedby a rigid arm, on which cams are effective to raise and lower said armrelative to the container bearing platform.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein between said device andcontainer bearing platform is arranged a funnel-like hollow elementcarried by a rigid framework, and means are provided for adjusting thespacing of said funnel-like hollow element relative to said platform.

1. An apparatus for placing and seam folding the bottoms of dispensingvalves on aerosol containers, and valves having tube lengths appliedthereto, comprising a container bearing platform and a device overlyingsaid platform and movable relative thereto, the device comprising acylinder accomodating a hollow tubular body, the cross-section are, ofwhich is larger than that of the valve bottoms, and an elongated hollowbody movable within said tubular body, the end of the elongated hollowbody facing said platform being shaped to form a housing seat for saidbottoms and associated valves, means for providing air suction in saidseat retaining a valve housed therein, and movable means operativelyconnected to said tubular body and said elongated body, respectively, tomove the same relative to said platform and said cylinder, the apparatusbeing characterized by comprising seam folding pliers housed in saidseat in the hollow body, a shaped portion of the pliers projectingtherefrom, a rigid tube movable within the elongated hollow body andhaving one end thereof extending adjacent said pliers, and movable meansoperatively connected to the rigid tube to move the same relative to theelongated hollow body and outwardly spread said seam folding pliers. 2.An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said movable meansoperatively connected to the tubular body and elongated hollow bodycomprise two separate pistons movable within a cylindrical cavity orbore in said cylinder, the movable means operatively connected to saidrigid tube comprise A piston movable within a cylindrical bore in a headfast with the elongated hollow body and external to said cylinder, apressure fluid supply being provided and means for controlling the fluidsupply to chambers formed at one side of said pistons, the chambersformed at the other side of said pistons being communicated with vent.3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said valve housing seatin said elongated body communicates with said means for providing airsuction through a hole extending in said rigid tube, a portion of whichprojects beyond said head fast with the elongated hollow body.
 4. Anapparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein said cylinder is carried by arigid arm, on which cams are effective to raise and lower said armrelative to the container bearing platform.
 5. An apparatus as claimedin claim 4, wherein between said device and container bearing platformis arranged a funnel-like hollow element carried by a rigid framework,and means are provided for adjusting the spacing of said funnel-likehollow element relative to said platform.